'Italians love me just as I am'
2009-06-26 16:02
Rome - The sex-scandal saga of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi continued on Friday as he changed his tactic towards the media.
"Italians love me just the way I am. Generous, honest, loyal and reliable. That is why I am not going to change," the 72-year-old said to Italian media.
However, Berlusconi admitted that he might have invited one or other "wrong" guest, but he said he never did anything immoral, according to Italian news reports on Friday.
Meanwhile, four Italian female academics are pushing to boycott the upcoming G8 summit to be held on July 8-10 in L'Aquila, the medieval town ravaged by an earthquake last April.
The first ladies of the seven world industrial leaders and Russia should not attend the G8 summit to show their rejection towards the media tycoon's "sexist" and "offensive" attitude to women, according to a statement released on Thursday.
The boycott proposal has been signed by 6 500 women, news reports said.
Berlusconi responded on Thursday to the academics' proposal by saying jokingly "What will you do without women? Are you homosexuals? Next time I will bring with me a couple of showgirls, full-aged, of course".
The Prime Minister delivered this statement during his visit on Thursday to L'Aquila, where he held a meeting with construction workers in preparation for the G8 summit.
- SAPA
